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Robert Palmer
'Robert Allen Palmer ' January 19 1949 – September 26,2003), born in Batley, Yorkshire, was an English singer. He was known for his soulful voice and the eclectic mix of musical styles on his albums, combining soul, jazz, rock, reggae and blues. Power Station and Duran Duran Milestone The year 1985 was a milestone year for Palmer's career. After Duran Duran went on hiatus, their guitarist Andy Taylor and bassist John Taylor joined renowned session drummer and former Chic member Tony Thompson and Palmer to form the band Power Station. Their eponymous album, recorded mostly at the New York studio for which the band was named, reached the Top 20 in the UK and the US and spawned two hit singles with "Some Like It Hot" and a cover of the T. Rex song "Get It On (Bang a Gong) ". Palmer performed live with the band only once that year, on Saturday Night Live. The band toured, and even played Live Aid, with singer Michael Des Barres after Palmer bowed out at the last moment to go back into the studio to further his newly revitalized solo career. It proved to be a good choice for Palmer. 1985 Palmer recorded the album Riptide in 1985, recruiting Thompson and Andy Taylor to play on some tracks and Power Station producer Bernard Edwards, who worked with Thompson in the group Chic, to helm the production. Riptide featured the #1 single "Addicted To Love". The single was accompanied by a memorable and much parodied music video in which Palmer is surrounded by a bevy of near-identically clad, heavily made-up female "musicians". The singles "Hyperactive" and his cover of Cherrelle's "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" also performed well. reunited In 1995, Palmer reunited with other members of The Power Station to record a second album. Bassist John Taylor eventually backed out of the project (because of personal problems), to be replaced by old colleague Bernard Edwards. Palmer and the rest of the band completed the album Living In Fear (released in 1996), and had just begun touring when Edwards died of pneumonia. Death Palmer's partner at the time of his death was Geraldine Edwards, who he had been dating since his 1999 divorce from Susan Palmer. Palmer, who made his home in Lugano, Switzerland for his last 15 years, and who became a naturalized citizen of Switzerland in 1993, died at the age of 54 in Paris, France on September 26, 2003 of an acute Myocardial Infarction. He was staying at the Warwick de Berri Hotel at the time. According to the Palmer family, he is interred in London, England. Discography * 1974 - Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley * 1975 - Pressure Drop * 1976 - Some People Can Do What They Like * 1978 - Double Fun * 1979 - Secrets * 1980 - Clues * 1982 - Maybe It's Live * 1983 - Pride * 1985 - Riptide * 1988 - Heavy Nova * 1990 - Don't Explain * 1992 - Ridin' High * 1994 - Honey * 1999 - Rhythm & Blues * 2001 - Live at the Apollo * 2003 - Drive Compilations * 1989 - Addictions Volume I * 1992 - Addictions Volume II * 1995 - Very Best Of Robert Palmer * 1998 - Woke Up Laughing * 2002 - Best Of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology (1974-2001) * 2005 - The Very Best of the Island Years With the Power Station * 1985 - Power Station * 1996 - Living In Fear External links *RobertPalmer.com *BBC 6 Music biography *Robert Palmer: An Appreciation (article about Palmer written by John Taylor) *BBC obituary: Robert Palmer Category:Musicians